....and a raptor to finish with on the sweet menu!
What a lovely sunny if cold day on Friday to find 7 Stonechat, with two found on Conder Pool, two foraging along the marsh by Cockersand Caravan Park, one on roadside fence posts Moss Lane, and two along the bulrushes behind Lighthouse Cottage. AC found the mate of my loner on Moss Lane, so proof of four pairs wintering in the Lune Estuary area.
Also noted on Conder Pool, 20 Tufted Duck, 5 Goosander, and 9 Little Grebe.
Ian Mitchell caught on camera conclusive proof the Little Grebe catch Sticklebacks like there's no tomorrow, and play with them until they can swallow head first so the spines don't snag on the throat.
On the Lune at Glasson, up to 650 Golden Plover and 620 Black-tailed Godwit which was up to half the number seen on my last visit here last Tuesday. A Raven was overhead at close range.
As I approached Cockersand along Moss Lane, a Buzzard was close by in a tree, but took offence to me and flew off as I pulled up to grab a pik. My records read, the circuit was a huge success, if only because I found 5 Stonechat here. Otherwise, just 3 Wren, 2 Meadow Pipit, and a lone Greenfinch got into my little black book.
But hey, the visit ended with a bang....As I watched a Stonechat pair foraging the marsh edge, a Hen Harrier ringtail burst onto the scene, it quartered low over the marsh 50 metres out for several minutes before I eventually lost it to view heading to Cockerham Marsh....Heck!
Thanks to Simon Hawtin for his stunning Hen Harrier header image.
Anniversary.
Glad you had a productive day after leaving me.
ReplyDeleteYou were lucky to catch the Hen Harrier, hope it lasts longer than the other 38 that have gone missing in the news yesterday.
Thanks for the update - Ian
Really pleased you have reacted to the Hen Harrier issue here on B2B, and made the comment about the report on Channel 4 News on Thursday evening. Pretty sure the BBC wouldn't have ventured down that road on the subject. But I'll shut up on that now, for fear of upsetting people on this matter, some of who take an interest in my blog!
DeleteThank You Ian.
Good to see that you're getting a regular Stonechat fix still, Pete.
ReplyDeleteFabulous that a Hen Harrier found you - Simon's image of one is a cracker! I'm sure that they'd be a much more common sight if the shooting fraternity would do the decent thing and give up their outdated and sadistic pastime.
Best wishes - take good care - - - Richard
Only takes a single Stonechat on the day to give me a fix Richard as you know. Otherwise, as my reply to you, please read my reply above to Ian.
ReplyDeleteRegards....Pete.